Will Pemble spent six weeks and about $3,500 building a homemade 180-foot roller coaster in his Orinda backyard after his 10-year-old son asked for one.
According to the Times of India, the track winds through trees on the family’s quarter-acre property. The project took about 300 hours to complete. Lyle became interested in roller coasters after a family trip to an amusement park and began researching how the rides worked. He and his father then planned the layout, bought PVC pipes and lumber and began construction in the backyard.
The red-painted cart runs along the track under gravity. Pemble gives it an initial push before it travels the 180-foot route. He told KPIX-TV he started the project because his son asked and he could not think of a good reason to say no.
Pemble said the build also gave Lyle a practical lesson in mathematics, physics and engineering. Measuring the track and understanding forces and motion became part of a real project, giving school subjects an immediate use. Pemble documented the construction on a blog and in YouTube videos.
The unusual project drew questions from neighbours, but Pemble said none complained. After the ride was finished, Lyle rated it 9.5 out of 10.